Clouds of Ash
by Flame Soldier
Summary: After getting shot down during a battle, Harrier and Ravess get stranded in the Wastelands. With no sign of help coming for them, how will the two survive, not only the Wastelands, but each other? RavessxHarrier
1. Chapter 1

**Clouds of Ash  
**

**A/N I couldn't resist starting another Ravess x Harrier fic. I know I said I was going to wait until No Honor in Darkness was complete, but I just can't wait... Any ways, here it is. This one is going to be a bit different than my other one... I hope you like it... Oh and here's that random and painfully obvious disclaimer people decided was necessary to post... I do not own Storm Hawks. And never will.  
**

"Rex Guardians! Fight with honor!" Harrier exclaimed, raising his golden energy blade high in the air. He swept his arm out in the direction of the Cyclonian fleet.

"Come on guys, let's burn 'em!" Blister shouted to his own squadron, the Third Degree Burners.

Aerrow ignited his lightning blue blades. "Storm Hawks, let's ride!"

Similar battle cries were heard as the Sky Knight squadrons and the Cyclonian Talons drew closer toward each other. The Sky Knights had intercepted the Cyclonian fleet before they had reached Terra Tranqua, a completely defenseless terra. If they didn't stop the Cyclonians here, then innocent people would be hurt.

In just an instant, the Sky Knights and Talons clashed together. The swarm of fighters was so great that it was impossible to tell what was happening, or which way the battle was turning.

Harrier snapped his golden blade up, blocking the staff of one of the Talons. Whipping his blade back, he prepared to strike, only to have the Talon zip away, his eyes wide with fear. Confused, Harrier half turned just in time to see a red flash.

He must have been knocked out for a few moments, because when he opened his eyes, he was floating through the air with his parachute. Looking up, he could see the battle cruiser which had shot him down passing above him. Amazingly, his hand still clutched the hilt of his blade. He sighed as he switched it off. Looks like the battle was over for him... He just hoped the others remembered to pick him up.

Having nothing better to do as he slowly descended, Harrier watched the battle. From a distance it was hard to make out who was who, but he was aware of a human shape falling towards him. Instictively, he reached out and managed to wrap an arm around the figure's waist, which caused his own descent to accelerate a little, but not enough to be deadly.

The waist was definitely female, and looking down, Harrier realized that he had just saved a Cyclonian. She was currently unconscious. Wrapping his other arm around his waist, he pulled her closer, trying to find a comfortable way to hold her so he didn't drop her. A single glance at her back told him what he needed to know; someone had severed her parachute chords.

"How dare they," he hissed, blue eyes smoldering in anger. "That's strictly against the Code! We're the Sky Knights! We're the ones who are supposed to have honor!" He spit out some of the pink hair that had gotten into his mouth when he was speaking.

The woman let out a small groan, causing him to glance down at her. She let out a small scream and instinctively began wriggling to free herself from his grasp.

"Might not want to do that," he grunted, trying to keep his hold on her. They were starting to get close to the ground, but a fall still might kill her.

Her golden eyes widened, and she turned herself around enough to be able to grab onto him. Her eyes were terrified for a moment, before she regained her composure.

"You... You're a Sky Knight, aren't you?"

"Harrier of the Rex Guardians." As his feet touched the ground, he placed Ravess down gently. Her knees buckled, and he reached out to steady her instinctively, only to have his arm slapped away.

"Don't touch me, Sky Knight!" she hissed, glaring up at him, but remaining on her knees. He was shocked at the rage that smoldered in those golden eyes. "Why? Why did you save me?"

He didn't look at her while he was answering, instead scanning his eyes across the molten Wastelands. "It's my duty as a Sky Knight to protect lives. I'm honorbound by the Code to protect whatever lives I can."

"But I'm your enemy!" she exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter to me, Miss..."

"Ravess," she snapped. "My name is Ravess." Ravess scowled at him. "I suppose you're going to have me arrested once your Sky Knights come and pick you up?"

"I suppose you'd have me arrested if the Cyclonians showed up," Harrier countered.

"Yes," she replied bitterly. "I would." Her eyes widened and she cringed as he activated his energy blade.

Leaping easily over her, Harrier smashed his blade down on the head of a large snake like creature that loomed behind her. It reared back, hissing in pain and he barely had enough time to roll out of the way as it opened its mouth, and crashed towards him. Shaking its head, it dove into one of the nearby lava pits, apparently deciding that it wasn't worth the trouble.

Harrier turned toward Ravess. "Are you alright, Miss?"

She glared at him a moment before looking away. "Yes. I'm fine."

He sighed; he was expecting her to be at least a little grateful... Then again, he wasn't a Sky Knight to earn people's gratidue. He stared up at the sky, trying to find any sign of someone coming to rescue them, but he couldn't see anything beyond the clouds of ash.

**A/N I hope you'll enjoy this fic. :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Clouds of Ash: Chapter Two**

"It doesn't look like anyone's coming to rescue us soon," Harrier said, turning towards Ravess.

"They're probably still fighting," she replied curtly. "Or do you expect them all to rush down and rescue you, because you're so great?"

"I wasn't insinuating anything of the sort!" he exclaimed. He tried not to scowl. "You know, I've done nothing but help you since we've been down here, but you've just been nothing but rude!"

"We're enemies, ponytail boy!" Ravess snapped, glaring at him. "What did you expect?"

"Just because we're enemies doesn't mean we can't show each other common courtesy."

"Yes it does."

Harrier sighed, exasperated. "Now really! I..." He trailed off. "You haven't gotten up yet."

Ravess glared up at him. "How perceptive of you."

"Are you okay?"

"What's it matter to you?"

He just stared at her until she looked away uncomfortably. "I'm fine... Just a little dizzy."

"Probably combination of getting hit, and the fall..."

"Wow, aren't you just a genius?" Ravess snapped sarcastically.

He sighed and continued to stare at the ashen clouds. He tipped his head to the side slightly as he felt a small tremor. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?" she snapped. The ground shook again, causing her to jump up. She jumped back as lava burst from the ground, jetting up into the air. Soon after, another column sprayed into the air.

"We have to get out of here," Harrier exclaimed, grabbing Ravess's arm. "Quickly."

She snatched her arm back reflexively. "I know that!" Without another word, she sprinted away from the cracks that were beginning to form in the ground, Harrier close behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to banish her dizziness. Opening her eyes again, she skidded to a halt as she reached a river of lava. She glanced behind her to see that the cracks were still opening up their way, spurting out lava.

"Come on, we can jump it," he said. "It's not that wide."

Ravess glanced back at the cracks shooting towards them and then at the river. Her head was buzzing and her vision was blurring, neither of which would help her jump over the river.

Harrier glanced back at the lava shooting up from the ground, at the river and then at Ravess. He hesitated for a moment before scooping her up in his arms and taking a mighty leap. He landed on the edge of the solid ground and tottered for a moment before he threw himself forward, which cleared him from the lava, but caused him to fall on top of her.

"You oaf!" Ravess hissed, shaking her head to clear it. She pushed him off of her.

"I'm sorry, miss," Harrier replied, getting to his feet. "I was too busy saving our lives to worry about the landing. Perhaps next time I could leave you on the other side?"

"Yes well... I could have gotten across myself!" She spat. She looked away, but after a few moments glanced back at him again. "... But I suppose I appreciate your effort..."

"Mm... Quite..." His eyes were focused on where they just were. Lava was erupting from the ground as well as some chunks of flaming earth. "...They're not going to be able to find us."

"What?"

"We've moved from where we first fell," he elaborated. "They won't know where we are."

"Someone will find us," Ravess replied.

"Hopefully it won't be too late," Harrier mused. "We don't have any food, or water... Perhaps we should find some shelter..."

"Shelter from what?" she queried. "It's not like it rains down here."

"Yes, but I wouldn't want to be out in the open for long with those lava beasts hanging around... If they were hungry, I doubt I could fight them off."

"The farther we move away though, the less likely it would be that someone will find us," she argued.

"Alright," Harrier replied, sitting down next to her. "We'll stay here... for now anyways... You need to rest anyways..."

"What do you mean, _I _need to rest?" She glared at him reproachfully. She hated showing weakness, especially in front of an enemy. "I'm perfectly fine."

Tipping his head to the side, he regarded her with curious blue eyes. "You know, Ravess, it's okay to not be perfect all the time... You almost passed out. You should rest."

She looked away and glared into the distance. Instead of answering him, she contented herself with watching a fire scorpion that was wandering out in the distance. "No, it isn't," she replied after a few minutes.

"Hmm?" Harrier looked at her again. It took him a moment to comprehend what she meant, for his mind had wandered to other things. "Of course it is... Why would you think otherwise?"

"You wouldn't understand, Sky Knight."

"Try me."

Ravess shook her head. "No... It's none of your business anyways."

He sighed. "Very well then... Either way, you should get some rest... It's getting late any way..."

She glanced over at the fire scorpion again, which was beginning to take an interest in them.

Harrier pulled out his energy blade and thumbed it on. "Don't worry, I'll keep watch."

Ravess quirked an eyebrow at him. "You're asking me to trust an enemy?"

He shook his head. "No... I'm asking you to trust a Sky Knight."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"Well, that's entirely up to you."

Ravess stared at him a moment before curling up and drifting off to sleep.

**A/N There's a poll up in my profile. Vote please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Clouds of Ash: Chapter Three**

Harrier watched as Ravess's sides rose and fell in a steady rhythm as she slept. Despite the tumultuous surroundings, she looked peaceful, a calm aura surrounding her.

Placing his blade down by his side, Harrier hugged his knees to his chest and rested his chin upon them. His eyes rested on Ravess for a few moments more before scanning the surrounding area.

He had fallen into the Wastelands once before, along with his fellow Sky Knights after attempting to recapture the Aurora Stone. He hadn't even been there an hour before being rescued, but even that short time was enough to convince him of its dangers. But now that he had no idea if anyone was even looking for him... He reached his hands up to rub his temples. He had a headache from getting shot down and the sulfurous fumes weren't helping at all. It was nearly impossible for him to concentrate on the problem at hand...

His eyes snapped to the fire scorpion that had been wandering around before. It was decidedly closer now. He let a low growl emanate from the back of his throat as he snatched up his energy blade and stood up. Not only did they have no access to food or water, but they were constantly under attack from beasts!

Harrier tipped his head to the side regarding the fire scorpion and thinking. Surely even beasts like that needed to drink? There would have to be water somewhere in the Wastelands... The scorpion edged closer and the sky knight shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the matter at hand.

"Get out of here," he hissed, raising his blade. "I'm in no mood to fight something like you." Bringing his blade back, he thrust it forward, releasing a surge of energy towards the beast.

The golden energy hit, causing the scorpion to rear back in pain, a low hissing sound escaping it. Instead of backing off, as Harrier would have hoped, it charged at him instead, plunging its sharp barbed tail toward him. Leaping out of the way, Harrier rolled back up to his feet and raised his blade to ward off the scorpion.

To his surprise, the scorpion had its back to him, seeming to no longer be interested in him. He tipped his head slightly, confused, until a sickening realization hit him. Ravess.

In that moment, he saw the scorpion raise its tail, ready to strike.

"No!" Eyes narrowing, Harrier focused his energy while raising his blade upwards with two hands. A yellow gold aura emanated from his body as his energy bonded with his crystal, and he jumped before slashing the blade down diagonally. A spinning yellow disk blasted from his blade before crashing into the scorpion. It let out a high pitched screech and reared back, its tail plunging into the ground as it writhed in pain.

A high pitched scream filled the air and for a moment, Harrier thought it was the scorpion for a moment before he saw Ravess scrambling backwards.

"This is what you call keeping watch?" She stared at the fire scorpion a moment as it rose to its feet. "You're supposed to warn me _before_ it attacks!" Her eyes widened as the beast propelled a ball of fire from its tail. She managed to dodge the flames by jumping to the side and rolling back up to her feet. "I could really use my bow right now..."

"Well you don't have it, so you're just going to have to improvise!" The sky knight replied, charging towards the scorpion, which turned angrily toward him. Swinging its tail, it slammed into Harrier, sending the sky knight in one direction, the blade in the other.

The blade landed at Ravess's feet with a clatter, and she bent down to pick it up. She watched with a detached air as the scorpion moved in towards Harrier, its double-pronged tail raised, ready to finish its prey off. It had occurred to her that while the scorpion dealt with Harrier, she could easily escape. Now that she had a weapon, who needed the Sky Knight?

She began to walk away, but turned to look back at Harrier. The Sky Knight had caught the barbed tail in his hands and was struggling against it was it pushed toward his throat. His lightning blue eyes met hers. It wasn't so much a pleading gaze as it was a questioning one.

Ravess half-turned, but then closed her eyes for a moment. Turning again, she sprinted towards the scorpion and leaped into the air, plunging the blade between the beast's eyes. A spray of black blood burst from the creature as Ravess ripped the blade out again.

Harrier released the tail of the scorpion and stepped back, breathing heavily. "I thought you were going to leave me for a second there."

"Yeah," she replied. "So did I."

"Why didn't you?"

Ravess shrugged. "You're probably more useful to me alive then dead."


	4. Chapter 4

**Clouds of Ash Chapter Four**

"I thank you," Harrier replied. "Whatever your motives may have been, you saved my life." He gave her a bow, which caused her to quirk an eyebrow.

"Why do you remain so proper even here?" Ravess crossed her arms. Frankly, his politeness was starting to bug her. In Cyclonia no one was this polite... In fact no one in the Atmos was this polite! Didn't he know they were in the Wastelands?

"The Code hasn't changed, even when we're here instead of Terra Rex. It is my duty as a Sky Knight to follow the Code, no matter what...Now, I'll be needing my blade back."

Ravess glanced down at the energy blade that was in her hand. Giving it back would mean giving away something that would be giving her the upper hand, but at the same time, the Sky Knight had more experience using it in tight situations. She twirled the blade in her hand for a moment, trying to make a decision.

"Miss Ravess...?" He stood staring at her expectantly.

"Cut it out," she snapped. "Stop calling me miss!" She tossed the blade back to him out of irritation.

"I'm only showing you respect as a woman that I don't know very well," Harrier explained. "You see, the Code dictates-"

"The Code? I don't care about your damn Code. Haven't you ever wanted to _not_ follow the Code?"

He looked scandalized. "Why would I do that?"

Ravess rolled her eyes. "Never mind. Let's just get moving."

"Moving to where?"

"I don't know," she snapped. "You seem to be the expert here, ponytail boy!"

"Well, I really don't know what-"

"Well think of something!"

"Alright, Alright," Harrier replied, holding his hands up as if to placate her. "I'll think of something..."

Ravess smiled. She loved it when others crumbled for her so easily. It made her feel... in control.

"We'll need to find some water," he decided. His stomach growled, causing him to blush for a moment. "And some food."

She nodded feeling a bit hungry as well. Her eyes widened as she saw Harrier's gaze go to the fire scorpion. "No... There's no way I'm eating that!"

He sighed. "We don't really have a choice... Unless you have some provisions on you, that is?"

She scowled. "No..."

"Well alright then," Harrier replied. He eyed the dead scorpion warily; he wasn't too thrilled about having to eat it himself. "Now the question is how to cook that thing..."

"Do you not notice that we're in a place filled with lava? Stuff that's even hotter than a fire?" Her scowl deepened. "Just use that to cook it."

"Right... I'll just go cut some of the meet off then..." He made his way over to the scorpion and hesitated. He really didn't want to have to cut the thing up and eat it... He glanced up at the sky to see if anyone was about to swoop down and save them. He would take the Cyclonians at this point...

"Just think of it as a giant cloud krill," Ravess called over mockingly, amused at his squeamishness.

His nose wrinkled in disgust; he despised cloud krill... Shaking his head, he smashed the blade through the scorpion's exoskeleton with a sickening crunch. Turning his head away to avoid seeing the insides of the scorpion, he managed to slice some of the whitish meat out. He looked down at the black liquid on his gloves in disgust. With no water so far, there was no way to wash them. Cooking without washing one's hands was clearly against Lysander's Food Preparation Decrement. But he supposed that there was no choice. "Forgive me..."

Skewering it onto his extinguished blade, he knelt next to the lava and held the sword over it while Ravess watched, looking pleased with his discomfort. With the heat from the lava, it didn't take long for the meat to cook. Harrier backed away from the lava feeling as if he was cooked as well. Sweat seemed to pour from ever pore in his body. He offered the skewed meat to Ravess, who wrinkled her nose in distaste, but took one of the hot chunk of scorpion meat in her hands.

Sighing, she sat cross-legged on the ground and stared at it as if it would change into something else. Harrier sat across from her, taking off his stained gloves so he could eat. He was parched; and his sweating wasn't helping either. He would have to move fast to find some water. He bit into the scorpion ignoring the slight burning sensation that its heat caused. To his dismay, it did very much taste like cloud krill. It was also very rubbery.

Ravess eyed Harrier as she picked at her food. "You're going to get heat stroke, you know. You should really take your shirt and armor off."

His already flushed face seemed to redden. "I... I could never expose myself in front of you like that! The Code-"

"The Code won't help you much when you're dead of heat stroke."

Harrier glanced away from her. She did have a point... But still... "But what if another beast attacks? I need my armor for protection!"

"Then only take it off for a little while," she snapped. "Or fine, die of heat stroke for all I care!"

He stared at her blankly for a few minutes.

"Do you want my to turn around?" she asked mockingly. To her surprise he nodded. She snorted in amusement. "Sky knights..." Rolling her eyes, she turned her head away from him.

After she turned, Harrier began loosening his armor straps and taking the pieces off one by one. He hesitated before pulling his shirt off. He felt cooler, but he shifted his shoulders awkwardly. he didn't like exposing himself like this in front of a woman he didn't know... Or in front of any woman for that matter. It just wasn't... proper.

Ravess turned and ran her eyes down Harrier's well toned torso, much to his discomfort. His muscles were glistening with sweat. "Heh... How interesting..." She smiled slightly, causing him to glance away from her.

"Right... Er... Let's go find some water." His face was flushed, but it was more from Ravess looking at him like that than the heat. He bundled his clothes and armor together before standing up and making his way towards some steep cliffs, Ravess following. His eyes swept through the molten Wastelands, searching for anything that could be a sign of water.


	5. Chapter 5

**Clouds of Ash Chapter Five**

Ravess watched as Harrier walked a few paces ahead of her. He was... interesting, she decided. Any other man would have gleefully ripped off his shirt to show off his muscles. Men like her brother Snipe, who practically wore spandex. He glanced back at her as if he felt her eyes on his back.

When she said nothing, he turned his eyes toward the sky. "It's getting darker down here than it usually is... It must be around sundown."

"Your powers of observation never ceases to amaze me," Ravess replied dryly. The darkness was beginning to close in faster and she frowned, uncomfortable. It was eerie how the only real source of light was the glowing red lava.

"After we find some water, we should settle down for the night," Harrier said, scanning the surrounding area. He squinted for a moment. "I think I see something in the distance... It could just be another lava stream, but... It looks like a small waterfall..." He quickened his pace slightly. "Come on!"

She sighed in annoyance. "You know, the water isn't going anywhere..." Nevertheless, she quickened her stride to match his. Within a few minutes, a small stream of water spilling from a rock formation appeared. Seeing that water made Ravess remember just how thirsty she was. She quickened her pace, as did Harrier. As she neared the tiny stream, she frowned in confusion. There was plenty of steam on the ground in front of her, but no puddle.

Tipping his head to the side, Harrier knelt down next to the tiny waterfall. "There's a hole in the ground here," he explained. "The water is going into some sort of underground cavern..." His eyes followed the stream of water up the side of the rock formation. It wasn't too tall, only about eight feet above the ground. Without saying anything, he began to climb up the face of the formation after dropping his shirt and armor to the ground. It took him less than a minute, and he disappeared from Ravess's sight as he took a look around whatever was up there. A moment later, he reappeared at the edge of the ledge. "Just as I thought. There's a pool of water up here. And there are no signs of those fire scorpions..." He extended his arm down to her. "Let my help you up... Could you please grab my things?"

Ravess scooped up Harrier's bundle with one arm. "I could get up there myself, you know..." Nonetheless, she stretched her arm up and grabbed onto his forearm. Both his hands wrapped around her slender arm as he gently pulled her up. She crawled over to the pool of water, and held her hand a few centimeters above the water. It was scalding hot. She scowled and stared at her reflection in the water. Even though they had found water, it was useless... She blinked as she felt Harrier near her and she tilted her head to see what he was doing.

He dipped his pieces of armor in the water. For a moment she thought he was washing them before she saw the pool of water that he had scooped into the hollow side of each one. He had left the smaller pieces of armor that wouldn't hold any water in a pile nearby. He scooted the four armor pieces that could hold water away from the edge of the pool, his eyes following the trails of steam emanating from them.

"Heh... You're smarter than I thought," Ravess commented.

"I suppose I will take that as a compliment," Harrier replied. His eyes turned from the steam to Ravess. "It will take some time before they'll cool enough to drink."

"Mm..." Ravess leaned over the pool of water, staring at her reflection. It had been a habit she had gotten into back onto Cyclonia; one must perfect one's appearance if they were going to be perfect after all. Her hair was a mess; the heat had caused it to droop, and strands of it were hanging in her face. Her eyes looked tired, probably because she _was _extremely tired. She frowned and sighed; who knows how long it could be before she could go back home and fix herself up? She shifted her weight slightly, which turned out to be a mistake she discovered, as her hand slipped, causing her to fall towards the boiling hot water.

An arm shot out and grabbed her, and Ravess suddenly found her face pressed against Harrier's chest. His flesh was warm against her cheek, and she could hear his heart beating a little faster than what would be considered normal. Her eyes trailed up to meet his, and he looked away before releasing his arm from around her.

He cleared his throat before speaking. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I'm fine.... Uh... Thanks..." She put some distance in between herself and him.

They spent the next quarter hour in silence, both making an effort not to make direct eye contact with the other. Finally, Harrier broke the silence. "The water should be cool enough to drink now."

Ravess nodded before making her way over to the water. Picking up one of the armor pieces, she gulped the water down thirstily. It was still quite warm, and it had a slight sulfuric tang. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, but still drank enough to satisfy her thirst.

A white flake swirled down from the billowing clouds up above, and Ravess frowned; it couldn't snow in the Wastelands, could it? As more white flakes floated down, she understood; it was snowing ash. She stared up at the sky, letting the grayish white substance speckle her face. Harrier tugged gently on her arm. "There's an outcropping over here..." She let him lead her to a sheltered spot under a rock ledge. "You get some rest... I'll take the first watch."

Ravess tilted her head and looked at his exhausted face. It was clear that he was just as tired- if not even more so- than her. She found her head shaking which was a surprise even to her. "No... I'll do it... You don't have to treat me as some weakling you know."

Harrier blinked, a little startled. He avoided her gaze and instead watched the ash swirl down. "That wasn't my intention." His eyes half closed and he breathed deeply for a moment. "You just look so tired..."

"You don't look any better."

"I suppose you're right... Perhaps it would be best if neither of us sat watch... We'll need our strength to get moving tomorrow... A full night's sleep would be best... for both of us..." He continued staring at the soot, his half closed distant.

Ravess hesitated before nodding. "Alright... But just for tonight."

"Of course... Goodnight, Miss Ravess..." Harrier shifted into a laying position and his eyes fell closed. In moments he was fast asleep.

Ravess watched his bare chest rise and fall slowly and steadily. She could be stuck in the Wastelands with someone worse, she decided. She gazed at the sleeping sky knight for a few more moments before shifting herself into a more comfortable position.

Before falling to sleep, her eyes stared out at the swirling blizzard of ash.


	6. Chapter 6

**Clouds of Ash Chapter Six**

Harrier's eyes opened slowly. Even in the Wastelands, early morning sunbeams managed to squeeze their way through the clouds of ash. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and glanced at Ravess, who was curled up beside him. He watched her sleep for a moment before extending a hand toward her to shake her awake. He let it fall to his side again though, unwilling to awake her when she looked so peaceful. Instead, he reached over and grabbed his shirt before pulling it on. It was hot in the Wastelands, but he felt more uncomfortable with the way Ravess had looked at him than with the heat.

His gaze lingered on Ravess for a moment more. Her being her was probably the main reason he was able to keep it together. Focusing on keeping her safe rather than the current situation made it easier to concentrate on what to do. It looked like no one was going to find them, if they were even looking. That made him wonder who had won. Surely if the Sky Knights had won they would have sent someone to look for him? What if the Cyclonians won? Would they send someone after Ravess? What would happen to him then?

Shaking his head, he decided not to worry about possibilities. He needed to worry about getting them out of this place... He hugged his knees to his chest and stared out at the Wastelands. A burst of lava far off shot into the air and a pack of fire scorpions fled from it. Even in the early morning this wretched place was chaotic. He looked down as he felt Ravess brush against him; she had drawn closer to him in her sleep. Strands of her hair had fallen over her eyes, and her nose twitched slightly, much like a rabbit's. The corners of his mouth turned upwards in amusement. His mind was drawn to the moment the day before when he had pulled Ravess close to him to stop her from falling into the boiling water. It had been an instinct, but he still flushed slightly as he thought about it. It had been an awkward moment. Then again, being alone with a woman was bound to bring some awkward moments. It was probably something he should have expected.

His stomach growled, causing him to frown. It was going to be a challenge to keep Ravess and himself fed. There wasn't any plant life down here, and the only animal life he had seen so far had almost killed him... His eyes were suddenly drawn to the pool of water. Something was there, getting a drink. It looked to be some sort of rabbit, except its ears were on fire and its fur a bright orange. Well, whatever it was, it was going to become breakfast. Drawing his energy blade quietly, he turned it on, filling the air with its low thrum. As quietly as possible, Harrier made his way toward the small animal, his blade poised to strike.

Suddenly, the rabbit turned around and opened its mouth. He barely had enough time to jump out of the way as the creature breathed fire at him. The rabbit began to dash away, but Harrier managed to shoot a blast from his sword at it. It hit the ground hard, and it lay stunned for a moment, giving him enough time to land te final blow. He watched as the fire on its ears went out and picked it up with one hand. He felt bad for killing it; it looked so... cute.

* * *

Ravess's eyes fluttered open. Glancing over to see Harrier gone, she bolted upright. The sky knight wouldn't leave her, would he? Leave her with no way to defend herself?

"Good morning, Miss Ravess."

She was both relieved and slightly annoyed as she heard his voice. "I told you not to call me miss." She sat up and turned her head toward the sky knight, who was crouching next to the pool of water, looking at who knows what. The ground was covered in a thin layer of ash, that had been disturbed in a number of places, as if some kind of struggle had occurred.

Harrier frowned for a moment. "My apologies." He took out his energy sword and suddenly speared it into the water.

"What are you doing?"

"Breakfast," he replied, lifting a skewered rabbit carcass out of the boiling water.

"How appetizing," she replied sarcastically.

"Well I suppose if you'd rather starve..." He plopped it onto his shin guard, using the piece of armor like a plate. Pulling over his breast plate, which had been filled with water, he dunked his hands into it.

"What are you doing now?" Ravess demanded.

"Washing my hands," he replied simply.

"...Why?"

"It's written in the Code that one must wash their hands before eating." He finished scrubbing his hands free of ash and grime.

"You still insist of following that ridiculous Code even here? There are more important things than honor, Sky Knight."

"Is there?" Harrier questioned, beginning to slice up the rabbit. "My honor is my life."

Ravess quirked an eyebrow at him. "That's rather pathetic if you ask me."

"Pathetic to have standards that I'm willing to live up to?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Pathetic that I'm not willing to stoop down to the same level as the Cy-" He cut himself off, but she still knew what he had been about to say.

"Stoop to the same level as the Cyclonians?" Her eyes sharpened. "May I remind you who's winning this war?"

"I wasn't aware that the Cyclonians were winning the war," he replied evenly. "Even if they were, there's more important things than winning!"

"Oh yeah? Like what?" She demanded.

"Like morals! Like doing what's right!"

"Morals? What good are morals when everyone on your terra is killed?"

"What good is victory when you transform into the very same thing you fought against?"

They glared at each other, each staring directly into the other's eyes. Neither wanted to be the first to back down. The tension between the two was almost a tangible substance in the air. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Harrier glanced away and began slicing up the rabbit again.

"We shouldn't be fighting each other," he said. "We have enough to fight already."

Ravess just looked away, triumph flashing across her face.

They ate in silence, Harrier glancing at Ravess frequently, as if having something to say, but deciding not to say it. Finally, he spoke. "What do you think we should do?"

"How should I know?" Ravess snapped. "I've never been put into a situation like this before..." She thought for a moment. "We should wait for someone to find us."

"With all due respect... I don't think anyone's coming for us," he replied softly. "They wouldn't wait so long..."

A flash of fear passed through her eyes. "What... No! You're wrong! They... They wouldn't just leave me down here!"

His eyes softened at her distress. "Perhaps I'm wrong... But even so, we need to figure out a way out of here."

"And how are we going to do that? It's impossible! No one just climbs out of the Wastelands!" Hugging her knees to her chest, she stared at him, trying to look calm. It was obvious from the way he was looking at her that she was failing, however.

"It'll be okay," he assured her. "I give you my word."

"How can you give me your word?" she demanded. "Do you know of a way out of here?"

Trying to keep the dread out of his expression and failing, he instead swept his gaze toward the chaotice landscape. As a far off lava geyser burst forth, he chose not to answer her question. Instead he said, "On my honor, I swear to you that I will get you out of here alive."

Ravess sighed, deciding not to point out how little his honor meant to her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Clouds of Ash Chapter Seven**

Harrier stared out over the Wastelands, watching a nearby volcano belch its sulfurous fumes into the air. He was aware of Ravess's presence next to him, and he tilted his head slightly to look at her. His gaze met hers, and he found himself staring into her eyes, which reminded him of molten gold. After a few moments, he turned his gaze back to the glowing lands below. They were... beautiful, in a strange way. The way the lava glowed, giving off its soft red lights. Yes, the Wastelands were beautiful, but they were the most dangerous place in the Atmos. They would need to get out soon, if they were to survive. He gave the woman next to him his word of honor, and he was determined to keep it.

"I think the nearest terra to here would be Terra Atmosia," the sky knight said thoughtfully, turning his determined gaze towards Ravess. "Perhaps we could find some way to alert someone there..."

"Atmosia?" Her eyes widened slightly. "We can't go to Atmosia! Do you have any idea what they would do with me there? We were going to invade Tranqua, so that must be closer."

"We intercepted you before you were even halfway there," Harrier replied. It felt odd, being reminded that she was the enemy. He met her startled gaze. "Nothing will happen to you on Terra Atmosia... I will keep you safe, I swear it."

Ravess crossed her arms and broke eye contact with him. "Would you really go against the Sky Knight Council to protect me, an enemy of the Atmos?"

He opened his mouth to assure her that yes, he would find a way to get her of Atmosia safely, but he closed it again. She was indeed an enemy of the Atmos, and as a sky knight, it was his duty to carry out the Council's wishes.

She took a few steps away from him and stared back down at the Wastelands. Her arms were no longer crossed, rather they were wrapped around her, as if she was hugging herself. He stared at her for a few moments, then she spoke. "It seems no matter what we do, I end up trapped. Either trapped down here, or trapped on Atmosia..."

Harrier's eyes softened and he took a step towards her, resting his hand on her shoulder. "Things will turn out alright in the end..." He hesitated, considering what to say next. He had been about to say that the Sky Knight Council would be fair and just toward her, but decided against it. "Let's just worry about getting out of here first."

Ravess said nothing for a few moments, then suddenly stiffened, as if she realized how vulnerable she had just been. She turned towards him and rested one hand on her hip. "I don't need your pity."

A flash of amusement flashed across his face. "It's not pity, Ravess, I assure you..." Kneeling down, he gathered his armor into a pile and began putting it on.

She watched him for a few moments before speaking. "What are we going to do about water?"

Harrier sighed. "I'm not sure... But we can't just stay here... If we didn't, there would be no chance for us to get out of here... I guess we'll have to hope we find some..."

"Like that's likely to happen... We're lucky we even found this... There'll probably be nothing to eat out there either... Unless you want to take on more of those scorpions, that is."

"We'll manage, somehow..." He stood after fastening his breastplate. "You seem like an intelligent woman, Ravess... What do you suggest we do?"

"Me?" She blinked, surprised that he would ask her opinion. "Well, there's not much we can do, I suppose... We can only head out there and hope we find something..." She sighed and stared out over the Wastelands again, searching for anything that could help them in some way. There was nothing, although she was only eight feet off the ground, not giving her too much of a height advantage.

"We should get moving then," the sky knight said, beginning to make his way over to the cliff side. He waited to make sure Ravess was following before beginning his descent. Reaching the bottom, he took out his energy blade and ignited it with a quiet snap-hiss. There were a lot of beasts around, and he didn't want them to catch him off guard.

Ravess climbed down nimbly and without pausing began walking. Harrier followed after her, glancing wearily from side to side as he spotted a fire scorpion a ways off. They walked in silence, neither having much to say.

They had been walking for about an hour with little conversation between them. Harrier's eyes were drawn to Ravess as she walked in front of him, her hips swaying slightly as she walked. Realizing just how low his eyes had been drawn, he snapped his eyes up, flushing, although she wasn't looking at him to see his blush.

Another hour or so passed, and Harrier was beginning to find himself parched. If only there was some source of water nearby... Gazing around the landscape, he searched for any sign of something liquid. Finding only lava and ash, he sighed. Turning his attention forward again, he almost walked straight into Ravess, who had stopped in front of him.

"I see something... There." She pointed, and he squinted, trying to make out what she saw. "Let's head in that direction." Not waiting for Harrier's answer one way or another, she headed off in the direction she had pointed.

Following after her, he still squinted, trying to see what it was. He could only make out a faint black shape however.

"I think it's a crashed skimmer," she informed him.

"You have sharp eyesight," Harrier commented.

"I'm a sharpshooter," she replied. "I have to have sharp eyesight. Perfect eyesight, and perfect aim. I have both."

He nodded. "I wonder if perhaps... Perhaps it would be in good enough shape for us to fly out of here?"

She shrugged. "We'll see soon..."

Within a few minutes, the skimmer- or rather what was left of it- came into view. To Harrier's disappointment, it was almost completely destroyed. Two of its wings were sticking out of a lava stream, slowly melting. The rest of it was smashed into large pieces that had crumpled into a heap. Its fuel crystals had exploded on impact, melting a large portion of it. Its insignia was obscured, and barely legible, but Harrier recognized it right away.

"A Talon..." He neared the crashsite. "I wonder if the pilot survived?"

"If he survived the crash, he's most likely gone now," Ravess replied. "Look."

He followed her gaze, and his stomach sickened as he spotted a bloodstained boot. Whether he arrived dead or alive, the creatures around probably didn't care. Drawing his gaze away from the boot, he began rummaging through wreckage, hoping to find something to savage. He grinned as he pulled out some sort of flask from the wreckage. Miraculously, it had survived the crash unscathed.

Shaking it, he realized that it was still filled with something. Taking the cap off, he brought it up to his face and sniffed it. The strong scent of the alcohol alone was almost enough to make him dizzy. Bringing the flask to his lips, he took a swig. He swallowed and the liquid burned its way down his throat. It was whiskey, and probably the strongest he had ever tasted. Well, at least they would have something to drink, even if it did make them drunk. He supposed that drunk was better than dead.

He handed it over to Ravess, who took a large swig from it without checking to see what it was first. She winced, not expecting the strong sting of alcohol, but swallowed it down. She raised the flask to take another swig, but Harrier put his hand out to stop her.

"You might not want to drink too much of that at once."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid, Sky Knight. I know what alcohol does."

"That's not what I meant," he replied. "We need to make it last; we don't know when we'll be able to find more liquid..."

Ravess glanced down at the flask a little regretfully, but handed it over to Harrier who put the cap back on and attatched it to his belt. "And here I thought we found a better way to pass the time..."


	8. Chapter 8

**Clouds of Ash: Chapter 8**

"You know... It's actually kind of pretty down here," Ravess commented. The alcohol had loosened her up a bit, making her more open to conversation. She looked over at Harrier, who was walking beside her.

The sky knight looked around at the red glowing lava and nodded, deciding that he couldn't disagree. "It's just too bad that its so hot down here..."

"Hot?" she questioned. "You could always just take off your shirt again..."

"No, I'm quite alright," he replied hurriedly, blushing.

The corners of her mouth twitched in amusement. "If you say so..."

Harrier noticed her amusement, increasing his blush, which in turn, increased her amusement. "You're not like most men, Harrier, you know that?" she commented.

He blinked and waited a moment before replying. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, just that if I was down here with any other man, they would have... Tried something by now."

He flushed. "Oh... Well... uh... You don't have to worry about that... I would never- I mean not that you're not- I mean-" he cut himself off once he saw the amused look on her face.

She actually laughter, her already red tinged face turning a darker shade for a moment. Harrier eyed her for a moment before speaking. "You don't drink often, do you?" He brought his hand to the flask, swishing it around slightly, reminding himself how much she had consumed. It was more than she should have.

"Now why would you say that?" she questioned, tipping her head to one side.

He watched her closely for a moment, making note of her clumsy gait, then just gave her a skeptical glance.

In fact, she did not drink often. Drinking would impair her aim... But she didn't have to worry about that down here without her bow. "Speaking of which, I'm thirsty again..."

Harrier was thirsty as well, but he shook his head. "We can't drink too much. We have to make it last. We have no idea if we'll run into another source of fluid again..."

"And who made you in charge of everything?" Ravess demanded, placing her hands on her hips and glaring at him.

He didn't reply as he stopped walking and stared straight ahead, his eyes wide in despair.

She stopped as well. "What are you..." She trailed off as she glanced in the direction he was looking. Laid out in front of them was a sea of lava running from left to right as far as the eye could see.

He sat down, staring at it in despair. "We've come all this way... But it seems we can't go forward..."

She stared over the flowing lava, then back at Harrier. "Don't be too sure.. Look." She pointed at small pieces of land sticking out of the lava. They were spaced apart, but they could easily jump across. "We could use those to get across."

He stared at the land, then at Ravess for a few moments. "Are you sure? That would be dangerous..."

"Well I don't see another way of going forward," she replied. "Unless you just want to sit around here all day?"

"Very well," the sky knight replied, standing up. He jumped to the first piece of land turning to look back at her for a moment before jumping to the next. Being inches from the lava did nothing to improve how hot he had been feeling. In fact, the heat broiling up from the lava was making him feel dizzy. He longed for a drink, but alcohol when he was already dizzy would do nothing to improve the situation. When he was about halfway across, he looked back to see how Ravess was progressing. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she snapped. "I'm not a weakling."

"Just making sure..." He began making his way across again when he became aware of something falling from the sky. He looked up and winced as something seared his cheek. Embers. Embers were falling from the sky. Not sure why embers could possibly be coming down like rain, he increased his speed of jumping, wincing as he heard Ravess let out a hiss of pain. Going as quickly as possible, he reached the last stepping stone and jumped onto solid land. No more of the embers had hit him so far, but as they increased in number, he knew that it was becoming more and more dangerous. Scanning the nearby area, he spotted a cave. Turning to see where Ravess was, he was surprised to see her right next to him. He grabbed her arm. "Come! This way!"

Not even bothering to pull her arm away from him, she sprinted with him toward the cave. They quickly reached it and squeezed inside. Only a few moments later did the embers pick up, making the outside look like a blizzard of fire.

Harrier pulled her as far away from the cave entrance as possible, trying to protect her from any embers that might float in. There wasn't much room in the cave- if you could call it that- making it stifling hot in there as their body heat built up. They were already hot enough as it was...

It took him a few moments to catch his breath. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Ravess replied. "Just a bit light headed..."

Harrier was feeling light headed as well and found he had no choice but to take off his shirt, lest he get heat stroke. He looked over at her, concerned about her getting heat stroke. She didn't look so good. "Perhaps it would be best if you... Ah..." He trailed off, blushing.

Ravess raised an eyebrow at him. "Maybe I was wrong about you not trying anything, Sky Knight..."

He found himself blushing further, much to her amusement. "I am merely concerned about your wellbeing in this heat..."

She thought about it for a moment before nodding. "I don't think I have any other choice... Besides passing out, that is..." He looked away as she pulled off her shirt, sighing as she felt significantly cooler. "You can look a me you know. I'm not naked... And even then..."

Harrier looked over at her and focused on looking at her eyes, and no lower. His eyes couldn't help but stray lower a few times though. How he wished this cave was larger so there could more room between them. Being this close to her-they weren't even an inch apart- was giving him... feelings. Especially now that she was more... exposed. These things that were going through his mind were surely against the Code!

Just so he had something to do with his hands, he unscrewed the top of the flask and took a swig; a long swig. Ravess took it from him and took a swig herself. Her eyes half closed and she sighed. "It's been a long day..."

"Yes... It has..." Harrier found his eyes darting around nervously as he tried not to look directly at her.

Ravess leaned towards him. "What's wrong? You look... nervous."

"N-nothing's wrong," he replied, looking down at her. "Well... Other than the whole being stuck in the Wastelands thing." What was wrong with him? The feeling that he felt now... It was unlike what he had ever felt before... What was it? Lust? He wasn't entirely sure, but it was probably against the Code...

She stared at him for a few moments. She knew what she was feeling was a combination of the adrenaline that had just rushed through her, and how close they were, but did it really matter much? Harrier, she had to admit was a very handsome man...

Their eyes met for a moment, and before she was even aware of what she was doing, her lips were on his. It took him a moment to respond, but he did, kissing her back fiercely, his hands on her hips, pulling her closer. His back bumped against the cave wall as she pushed against him, and they both slid down towards the floor, too engrossed to even notice that they were no longer standing.


	9. Chapter 9

**Clouds of Ash: Chapter 9**

**A/N So I was looking on deviantart today, and I found a Ravess and Harrier fan art that I didn't draw. My plan... It is working... Muhahahaha!  
**

Harrier pulled Ravess closer, her soft skin rubbing against his. As her tongue made its way into his mouth, something clicked in his mind. This was wrong. Ravess was an enemy of the Atmos, and the Code surely would not approve. His eyes fluttered closed as she pushed herself closer to him, causing his heart to pound in his chest. His eyes opened again, and he pulled his mouth away from hers as much as the enclosed space they were in would allow, which was not very far.

"Ravess," he breathed, his voice huskier than he would have liked.

"Mm?" She leaned closer toward him.

His spine tingled as her tongue flicked around his ear. "This is... This is wrong..."

"So? Haven't you ever wanted to do something wrong before?"

There was something in her voice that sent another tingle down his spine. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to do something wrong... Yet there was something holding him back from doing it. "I... I uh..."

"No need to be nervous," she cooed, caressing his chest. She tilted her head back, bringing her eyes to meet his.

The moment her eyes met his, his hesitation melted away, leaving a feeling of excitement in its place. Tilting his head to the side, he pressed his lips to hers, his eyes sliding shut.

Ravess pulled back from him a moment, much to his disappointment.

"We're already halfway there you know," she whispered suggestively.

That made Harrier hesitate. "I..." He felt his entire body tingling as she traced her tongue around his ear again. Physically, there was nothing he wanted more than what Ravess was suggesting. But... There was something holding him back.

"What's wrong?"

"We... We barely know each other... I... How can we..."

"Well then, I guess we should start to get to know each other," her hands slid down his chest. "What do you think?"

"I don't think I am any more," he breathed, his hands sliding down her waist.

"Good," she purred. He suddenly hesitated again and she sighed. "What now?"

"I've... I've never..."

She stared at him incredulously for a moment, then smiled a predatory grin. "I hope you're a fast learner, Harrier."

* * *

Harrier opened his eyes slowly the next morning. He looked down at Ravess in his arms, and smiled as he observed her sleeping peacefully. She was about the only peaceful thing about this blasted place... His mind wandered to last night, which sent a thrill through his stomach, as well as some guilt. He looked down at her for a moment wondering. Why had that happened? They were enemies... He chewed on his bottom lip. Was it because they had both been mildly drunk? Probably...

He separated from her without waking her up, which was a bit of a challenge to do with the way their legs had been intertwined. He put some space between them as he put on his clothes and armor. His stomach growled and he realized that he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning. Desperate to get his mind off of Ravess, he left the small cave to find something for them to eat.

Ravess woke up and glanced around the cave to find Harrier gone. Frowning, she got up and gathered her clothes before putting them on. Why had he just left her without saying anything? Glancing over, she saw that he left the flask for her, and she reached over and took a sip. It was getting close to empty, which certainly influenced their behavior last night... The alcohol hit her empty stomach, and for a few moments, she thought she was going to be sick.

Last night... She smiled at the thought. She had been in control then, able to influence Harrier's every move. It made her feel better about their current predicament, where she could control nothing.

Her smile faded as her stomach turned again. Just then, Harrier walked in, something in his hands.

"What's that supposed to be?"

"I... I think it's some sort of giant snail... I was all I could find." He placed it down and sat across from her. "I cooked it in the lava... It should be safe..." Using his energy blade, he cut it roughly in half, sliding the larger half toward her. "Here... Eat..." He didn't look her directly in the eyes, his eyes darting just about everywhere else.

They ate in silence, Ravess trying to ignore her nausea. She knew that if she didn't eat, she would only get worse... Only eating a quarter of it, she pushed it away.

"Ravess... I know it's disgusting, but it's too dangerous for you not to eat it..." He finally did look her in the eyes, his face concerned.

Shaking her head, she got to her feet. Stumbling outside, she suddenly found herself on her knees retching. She was trembling, cold even in these boiling temperatures. She felt Harrier next to her. He said something, bu she didn't quite catch it, so she didn't reply.

She found herself in his arms and he carried her back to the cave. He placed her down gently before saying something about water. He left the cave again, bringing the flask with him. She noticed though that he left his sword behind within easy reach of her.

Closing her eyes, trying to banish the nausea, she found herself drifting back to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Clouds of Ash Chapter 10**

Water... He needed to find her water. Harrier hoped that Ravess was only dehydrated, and that something wasn't seriously wrong with her... In which case he wouldn't have a clue on what to do to help her. He glanced over his shoulder when he saw a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. As he reached for his blade, he realized that he left it in the cave in case Ravess was attacked.

He eyed the fire scorpion that was meandering behind him warily and bit his lip. He just hope that neither of them were attacked... He shook his head, deciding not to worry about it; he had more pressing matters to worry about. Where could he get a hold of some water? It had just been luck that they had found some before. He didn't want to go all the way back to where they had found the water; he didn't want to leave her alone for that long. It took about half a day in one direction... He couldn't leave her for a whole day. What if she got worse? Or if she needed his help. He chewed on his lip, worry consuming him. She would be okay, right?

He scanned the Wastelands, but saw nothing but lava flowing in rivers like water. "Water... Water..." A thought occurred to him. When it rained, water would have to go somewhere, right? It would have to gather in crevasses or indentation in the rocks somewhere...

Harrier made his way to a rock formation, checking the indentations for water. Nothing. Sighing, he made his way over to the next one. Peering down between two rocks, he could see a deep impression. Reaching his hand down, he smiled as he felt a shallow puddle down in the bottom. "Aha..." Pouring out the whiskey, he reached his hand down, dipping the flask in the puddle. The water was luke warm, but still better than nothing.

He scooped the water into the flask, using his free hand to push as much water into it as possible. When the water was gone, he lifted the flask and swished the water around; i was only a quarter full. Frowning, he sighed. It wasn't very much water. Should he take what he could get, or should he search for more?

Suddenly, he felt his spine tingle for no apparent reason. Turning, his eyes widened as the fire scorpion standing behind him lifted its tail, ready to strike. Screwing on the cap of the flask, he managed to roll out of the way as its tail plunged down. He attached the flask to his belt, wishing that he had some sort of weapon with him and he rolled out of the way of a fireball. Rolling to his feet, he began to run, not caring where he was going, only wanting to get away from his attacker.

"Get back you beast!" he snarled. It did not heed him however as it charged after him. Harrier looked back, trying to see how close it was to him. When he looked forward again, he skidded to a stop, nearly tumbling into a river of lava.

Swallowing nervously, he turned to face the scorpion, bracing himself in case it charged at him. Of course, he knew how little that would actually help. The scorpion raised its tail, ready to strike him down. It let out a low hiss as it advanced toward him.

"Go ahead! Do your worst!" he shouted at it, hoping his voice would scare it away. It advanced for a few more seconds before it let out a high pitched shriek, scrambling away. He blinked, surprised, before he turned around to see a huge lava serpent coiling up behind him. His eyes widened, but his did not have time to react as the beast's tail slammed into him, sending him flying into the ground. The flask detached from his belt, skittering away.

Harrier lay there, dazed for a few moments until his eyes fell onto the flask. It was not too far away, but the area it had landed in was cracked, lava spurting from the surface. "No..." As he spoke, a geyser of lava shot up in the distance, sprinkling its molten liquid over the ground. He knew that the ground the flask on couldn't hold his weight... Standing up, he stared at the flask for a few more moments. What could he do? Nothing.

He turned to go before hesitating. Ravess needed that water to survive. If he left now, there was no way he could bring her out of the Wastelands alive. He needed that flask. He needed it for her. He took a calming breath as he stared at the brittle land. Keeping his mind focused on Ravess instead of the danger, he started forward.

He made each step as light as possible as he kept his eyes focused on the flask. His heart skipped a beat as a crack formed under his weight, but he forced himself to move on. He had given her his word of honor, and he meant to keep it.

Finally, Harrier reached the flask and picked it up... But that's when it happened. He felt the earth shift and crack under him as it began to tremble. His instincts told him to run, and he did so. He heard the sound of an explosion behind him and he glanced back to see a geyser of lava shoot up. Then in front of that, another shot up, and another. The ground cracked under him as he ran, causing geysers to spring up behind him. He had to full out spring to avoid the lava and rubble as it rained down in a fiery storm.

He reached a rock formation and scaled it without hesitation. He threw himself onto the top, only to find himself falling. He heard the splash rather than felt it, as he more felt his body hitting the ground than the few inches of water he had landed in. He let himself lie there, dazed and breathing heavily for a few moments before sitting up. He was sitting in about five inches of water. It was hot, but not hot enough to to burn him. It was more like a hot bath. He sat there, letting the water soothe his sore muscles before he unscrewed the top of the flask and filled it to the brim with water. Cupping his hands together, he brought the water to his mouth before gulping it down. It had a sulfuric tang to it, but he didn't care as he drank his fill of it. Drinking so much of it so quickly, made his stomach turn, but he kept drinking until his thirst was completely satisfied.

Harrier used the water to wash his hands and face before standing up, searching for a way to leave. Seeing no other way, he began climbing up the side of the wall, cursing to himself when he almost fell off. His back was already sore from the first fall, he didn't need another.

It took him a moment to regain his bearings before he was able to make his way back to the cave where he had left Ravess. He was lucky that he hadn't gotten lost.

"Ravess?" He ducked into the cave, finding her still sleeping. Kneeling next to her, he put a hand on her forehead, wincing at the heat. Her fever was pretty bad... She was shivering though, causing him to frown. What was he supposed to do?

Harrier took her in his arms, trying to stop her shivering. As he held her close, her eyes fluttered open.

"You're back..."

He nodded. "Yes... I have some water here..." He took the flask and was about to put it to her lips when her hand grabbed his.

"I can do it myself."

He blinked, startled. "Oh... Yes, of course..."

She took the flask from him and took a long drink of it, but did not pull away from him. Instead, she drew herself closer to him, managing to stop shivering. "Don't look so worried... I'll be fine... I'm just... Tired."

He nodded, relieved. "Go back to sleep then... We'll rest here for another day..." It's not like they had anywhere else to go; he had no idea how they were going to get out of here. He would use this time to think and make a plan... He looked down to see Ravess sleeping in his arms. He smiled down at her, noticing how peaceful she looked. He had a feeling that when she felt better she would go back to being defensive and snippy toward him, but he didn't really mind.

Finding that his eyes were drooping, Harrier decided that he might as well get some sleep as well. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Clouds of Ash: Chapter 11

Ravess woke up, a bit startled to find herself in Harrier's arms. She could tell by his slow breathing that he was asleep, so she gently tore herself away from him as to not wake him. She was feeling much better and her fever was gone. She took the flask from his belt and took a sip of the water, wrinkling her nose in disgust do to its sulphuric flavor.

She watched the sky knight pensively as his sides rose and fell in a slow steady rhythm. It was... odd, having someone that would go out of his way to help her. In Cyclonia, there was no one you could trust but yourself. People were more likely to stab your back when it was turned than to actually help you... They were enemies, after all. Why would a man help an enemy? Unless of course... He didn't actually see her an an enemy.

Considering he slept with her, that was probably the most likely possibility. She thought that perhaps she would regret doing so, but felt nothing of the sort. Rather, she felt drawn to him somehow. Probably nothing more than lust, but at the moment she didn't really care.

Drawing close to him, she placed her hands on his chest, causing his eyes to flutter open.

"You're awake, I see," he commented, blinking to awaken himself fully.

Ravess couldn't resist rolling her eyes at him. "Stating the obvious again, I see."

"Can your sarcasm leads me to believe that you're feeling better?"

"Mm... It can," she replied, lowering herself so she lay on top of him.

His face flushed with pleasure as her breath brushed against his face. "I am glad."

"You'd better be," she teased, nuzzling his neck. He stroked her spine, causing her to arch her back. Wrapping her hands around his neck, she kissed him.

His eyes fluttered close as he kissed her back. He pulled away from her. "Ravess..." he breathed.

"Mmm?"

"Shouldn't... Shouldn't we be going?"

"Going where?" she questioned.

"I... I don't know," he admitted. He turned his face from her, thinking. "We have to go somewhere though... We've stayed in one spot for much too long."

"So what? We seem pretty safe here. Do you really want to go back out there with those scorpions?"

"Not particularly, but... It's the only way if we want to ever get out of here..."

"Do you really think it's possible to get out of here?" Ravess questioned. "What do you expect us to do? Climb our way up the side of a terra?" When he didn't reply, she continued. "Than what? Then you'll just hand me over to your Sky Knight Council to be jailed... Probably executed."

"I would never do that!" Harrier protested.

"Why wouldn't you?" She questioned. She brought her face close to his, flushing as his breath hit her face. "Do you realize... Do you realize just who I am?"

He blinked, confused at her sudden hostility. He didn't know how to reply, instead just staring at her. It was true, he realized. They were enemies... At first he had convinced himself that to survive he would have to work along side her, but now.... Now there was something more... He had a strong desire to protect her, an animal instinct at best, but a part of him all the same.

Ravess made a move to get up, but he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. "Ravess... I gave you made word of honor that I would get you out of this alive, and to do this, we have to get moving."

She stared into his eyes for a few moments. There was something in them that she couldn't quite understand. After a brief hesitation, she nodded. "Fine... We'll get out of here..."

Nodding, Harrier released her, and she got up, stretching her arms slightly. He stood beside her, then started out. He didn't know where he was going, only that he had a desire to do something to get out of there.

They walked side by side in silence, each just reflecting on the odd feelings running through them.

He had a feeling that if he were put in any other situation, his feelings would not be the same. This danger, this sense of hopelessness... I was bringing them together. He didn't mind really... In fact at the moment, he rather liked it. What worried him, however, was what was going to happen between them when they got out of here. Would he have to go back to fighting her? Could he go back to fighting someone whom he worked to hard to save?

He looked over at her, his eyes running down her lithe figure. A flush came to his face as she caught him staring, but she just smirked.

"Something wrong, Harrier?"

"N-no, nothing," he stammered, flustered.

She laughed, always finding herself amused at how easily he got flustered. Looking up at the sky, she paused, tipping her head to the side. "Is that..."

Harrier followed her gaze, his eyes widening. Above in the distance were two skimmers, flying at each other as if embroiled in a grave battle. "Skimmers... Come on! Perhaps we can get one of them to help us!"

Ravess followed after him as he picked up the pace, feeling a mixture of hope and dread. This was either her ticket back to Cyclonia, or her ticket straight to a cell on Atmosia.


	12. Chapter 12

**Clouds of Ash Chapter 12**

The two skimmers flew at each other, two silhouettes raising their blades as Harrier and Ravess neared them. He squinted to make out who it was. His heart nearly dropped into his stomach as he recognized the first rider. "Dark Ace..."

Dark Ace dove down to dodge a flash of blue, nearly running the pair over. His eyes widened in surprise. "Ravess?" He circled round, then dipped his wing toward her. "Get on," he said gruffly. "And help me with this pest."

Harrier drew his blade and was about to stop her when he realized that her and Dark Ace were on the same side. At least she would get out of the Wastelands safely... He would have kept his word.

Ravess hesitated for a moment, but not wanting to risk Dark Ace's ire, hopped onto the wing. He ascended, paying no attention to Harrier.

Hearing his name being called, the sky knight looked to see Aerrow flying toward him. He jumped onto the wing of the skimmer as it flew by, unbalancing it for a moment, but the pilot quickly compensated for the extra weight on the wing.

"We thought we lost you at the battle," the young sky knight said, looking over at him. "We tried to find you, but..."

"I understand," he replied.

"Great. So you'll help me beat Dark Ace?" he asked.

"It would be my pleasure."

Aerrow brought his skimmer directly behind Dark Ace's, igniting his blue blades and getting into his fighting stance, allowing Radarr to take over the flying. The Rex Guardian got into his own fighting stance as the Cyclonian turned his skimmer and ignited his blood red blade. In an instant, the two skimmers clashed together, their wings interlocking. Harrier and Aerrow both brought their swords down at the same time, causing him to jump back in frustration.

"Ravess, what are you doing?" Dark Ace hissed. "Take care of the Rex Guardian. I'll handle Aerrow."

"Take care of him with what?" Ravess snarled. "I'm weaponless."

Harrier let out a cry of pain as the Dark Ace shot his weapon from his hand.

"There so is he."

Harrier and Ravess's eyes met, and for a moment, neither of them made a move. Then, Ravess brought her hand forward as if to strike him. He easily caught her wrist in his hand, then grabbed her other wrist. She pushed at him, and he resisted only enough so he didn't lose his ground. He leaned toward her until their faces were only a few inches apart.

"I don't want to fight you," he breathed.

"Do we really have a choice? What else can we do? This is our only way out of here. I don't know about you, but I'm not about to spend the rest of my life down here."

Harrier didn't reply as the battle next to them increased in intensity blue and red blades flashing in and out of his vision so fast it was hard to tell what was going on or who was winning- if anyone was. He stared into her molten gold eyes once again. They softened slightly, but she continued to push against him. He took a step backwards, causing her to lose her balance and stumble forward. It was then that the Dark Ace yanked his skimmer free from Aerrow's.

Ravess screamed as suddenly there was no skimmer beneath her. Harrier's eyes widened as he found himself struggling to hold her dead weight. He was yanked downwards, nearly falling from the skimmer, but his knees slammed onto the very edge of the wings, telling him that he was somehow safe. Grunting with the effort, he began pulling her up. The skimmer jerked to the right, and he nearly panicked as he slid toward the edge, his grip on Ravess slipping. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, then, slowly, he pulled Ravess up onto the skimmer. She clung to him without thinking, shaking from the fright of her near fall.

"Harrier, are you alright?" Aerrow was looking over at him. His eyes flickered to Ravess and he frowned for a moment, but said nothing about her.

"Yes... Where's the Dark Ace?"

"He flew off... I managed to injure him..." Finally, Aerrow chose to address the Ravess issue. "Um... What should we do with her?"

Ravess looked over at the young sky knight, her golden eyes sparkling with hatred. She then looked up at Harrier, her gaze questioning.

The Rex Guardian didn't reply right away. He found it hard to think with her so close to him. Looking down, he realized that his arms had wrapped around her protectively without his knowing it. He saw the Storm Hawk looking at him, confusion in his eyes.

"Harrier... Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine... Let's get out of here... We can discuss what to do with Ravess on the Condor."

"Alright..." Aerrow glanced at the two strangely before flying up out of the Wastelands.

Harrier gave Ravess a reassuring squeeze. They were out of the Wastelands. The worst was over. But as he looked down into her terrified eyes, he realized that for her it wasn't.


	13. Chapter 13

**Clouds of Ash Chapter 13**

Aerrow landed his skimmer in the skimmer bay, not retracting its wings until Harrier and Ravess leapt off.

"Aerrow! You're okay! We were starting to get worried!" Piper was running towards her friend, but she froze in place. "Harrier? What are you doing here? We thought..." Her eyes widened further. "_Ravess_."

"Hmph. It seems the girl has eyes, congratulations." Ravess crossed her arms, glaring at the ground. How could the Dark Ace just leave her with the Storm Hawks of all people?

"I wouldn't be talking like that if I were in your position, Ravess," Aerrow commented, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. He said nothing else until his team had crowded around them. His gaze turned to Harrier. "What were you doing with her down there?"

"We were stranded together," the Rex Guardian replied. His blue eyed gaze swept around the inside of the Condor as he spoke, trying to think the situation through. "We thought it best to stick together, rather than risk being on our own. And of course, it is written in the Code that a Sky Knight must protect whatever life he can."

The sky knight nodded. "Makes sense..." He probably would have done the same thing in Harrier's position. He could never just leave someone to die...

"So then what do we do with her now?" Piper asked.

"You could always let me go," Ravess suggested.

Finn snorted. "As if! After all the damage you've caused the Atmos? You should be put in jail for a long long time..."

She glared at him, her gaze defiant, but under that layer, Harrier could see a glimmer of fear. On Terra Atmosia, she would face life in prison... Perhaps even execution. He did not pull as much influence there on his home terra. There would be little for him to be able to do to help her. Perhaps.... "We shall bring her to Terra Rex for trial." Yes, there he could help her out. He could convince the tribunal the be lenient on her.

"Terra Rex?" Aerrow echoed incredulously. "No offense, Harrier, but don't you think that we should bring her to Atmosia? Terra Rex doesn't have jurisdiction over the whole Atmos like it used to."

The blond furrowed his brow, trying to think of a compelling argument. He stared at Ravess for a few moments, who was doing her best to look uncaring. His gaze softened, but he quickly looked away, not wanting to reveal his feelings to the Storm Hawks. "I was the one who captured her. As the Sky Knight of Terra Rex it is my duty to bring her back to my terra for trial... It is written in the Code." The last part was a lie, but he knew that the Storm Hawks had limited knowledge of the Code.

"Harrier... Can I talk to you for a minute?" Aerrow turned to his squadron. "You guys make a make-shift cell for Ravess. Junko, you watch her for now." His squadron nodded and began leading Ravess from the room.

Harrier watched for a moment before returning his gaze to Aerrow, his arms crossing to mirror his posture. "What is it?"

"You were stuck in the Wastelands with Ravess for awhile..." the sky knight paused, searching for the right words. "You seem to have grown a bit... protective."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied quickly, finding it hard to meet his gaze.

"Do you um..." Aerrow hesitated again. "Do you feel something for her? Like um... You know..."

"Are you insinuating that I've fallen for a Cyclonian?"

"Well, I just... You seem kind of..." he bit his lip, looking away awkwardly. "Just don't let your feelings get in the way of your duty to the Atmos."

Harrier let out a huff. "As if I really need a child reminding me of my duty." He pushed past him before half turning to regard him. He thought of apologizing for calling him a child, but decided against it.

"We have a week before we'll arrive at Atmosia," Aerrow informed him. "We can drop you off at Terra Rex first, but Ravess must stand trial before the Sky Knight Council."

The Rex Guardian stared at him, his expression unreadable, before walking away.

* * *

"I can take over if you wish," Harrier said to Junko as he stopped outside of the make-shift cell.

"Are you sure?" The wallop asked him. "You've already been watching her nonstop the past four days..."

"I'm sure... Go join your friends for breakfast."

"Thanks..."

Harrier watched as he lumbered out of the room, then turned his gaze to the cell. The Storm Hawks had constructed wooden bars in the doorway of a utility closet. He squatted down in front of the doorway, gazing intently at Ravess's sleeping form. She began stirring, then opened her eyes. She stared at Harrier for a few moments, then suddenly sat up, holding her stomach. She emptied the contents of her stomach into a nearby bucket.

"Ravess? Are you alright?" Harrier asked her.

"Just nauseous," Ravess replied, closing her eyes.

"I'll get Piper to get you some crystals," he offered.

"No- don't..." She sighed, Harrier already gone. Within a few minutes he returned, Piper and Aerrow in tow.

Piper entered the cell with a couple of crystals. She held one of them out to Ravess, and it let out a soft glow, engulfing the Cyclonian. The crystal turned a soft pink color, causing Piper to stare at it for a few moments. Without another word, she got up and walked out of the cell, her face serious.

"Aerrow..." She whispered something in his ear, which caused the Sky Knight's mouth to widen in shock.

"SHE'S WHAT?"


	14. Chapter 14

**Clouds of Ash: Chapter 14**

Aerrow and Piper just stood there for a few moments, utterly in shock.

"I'm what?" Ravess demanded, her eyes narrowing, although she was beginning to have an idea...

Harrier, however, was clueless. "What is everyone looking so shocked about?"

Piper cleared her throat. "Well Ravess... It seems that you're ah..."

"Just spit it out already!"

"You're pregnant," the crystal specialist said flatly.

Harrier paled immensely. "Sh-she's WHAT?"

"She's going to have a baby," Aerrow clarified.

"I know very well what being pregnant means!" he snapped. "I just don't see how..."

"I don't see why you're so upset about this," the young sky knight replied. "It's not like you..." he trailed off, then glanced at him questioningly.

He pointedly ignored the glance, instead focusing on Ravess. She stared up at him, her face as pale as his. He had never expected this... What was he to do? He couldn't be a father! Especially not when the mother was a Cyclonian... Chewing on his lip, he turned back to the pair of Storm Hawks. "So what are we going to do?"

"I don't see how this changes anything," Aerrow remarked. "We'll let Atmosia take care of it."

"No, I simply will not allow it," Harrier replied, looking back at Ravess. "She needs proper care, none of which she will receive on Atmosia. We'll take her to Terra Rex, where I can make sure she receives the proper..." he searched for the right words for a few moments. "Vitamins and such..." He wasn't entirely sure what a woman who was expecting needed, but he assumed it wouldn't be in the average prison meal. His tone left no room for argument, but Aerrow seemed to miss that.

"But Harrier, it is our duty as Sky Knights to inform them of the capture of a dangerous Cyclonian."

"Then we will inform them after she arrives on Rex, which is much closer, I might add. We should be able to get there within the day."

Aerrow and Piper glanced at each other, the latter just giving a helpless shrug, not wanting to argue with the stubborn Rex Guardian. "I'll tell Stork of our change in plans," she offered, leaving the room. The sky knight just followed after her, sending the blond a quizzical glance on his way out.

"So, does the Code dictate childrearing techniques?" Ravess asked with a wry grin.

"This is no joking matter!" Harrier walked closer to her cell, looking in at her, eyes tinged with concern. "What are we going to do?"

"Well we're going to Terra Rex, right? You can get me out of it there."

"But then what?" he persisted. "Are you going to return to Cyclonia?" He eyed her anxiously. "Or will you stay with me on Terra Rex?"

"Won't they find it strange that their Sky Knight has suddenly taken up residence with a Cyclonian?"

"Well, I... Yes..." Another burning question was in his mind, one that he was almost afraid to ask. "Ravess... What happened between us in the Wastelends... Was that... Was that real?"

"Real?" she echoed, eying him thoughtfully. "I..." How should she answer that? Lust, that had been what it was, she was sure... But if she told that to Harrier, he would surely change his mind and leave her to Atmosia. "Of course it was real... At least for me it was... What about you?"

Harrier played with his thumbs, not quite meeting her eyes. If she really felt that way about him... Besides, he couldn't just leave her n she would be having his child. "Yes... I feel the same."

He stared at her through the bars, turning things over in his mind. What would the Code have him do? The Code deemed it improper to have a child out of wedlock of course, but what was he going to do? Just show up on Terra Rex and have them marry him and Ravess? They barely knew each other, he reflected. Of course, he would have nine months before making such a decision, but... There was the fact that she was a Cyclonian... Why was he attracted to her? Why? This would cause him so many problems...

"They're on to us you know," Ravess pointed out, leaning into the bars of the cell.

"Wha- oh yes... Aerrow and his friend..." Harrier sighed, his eyes trailing up to meet hers. "I've noticed..."

Seeing the worry in his face, she slipped her arms through the bars, placing her hands on his chest. "Of course, they won't be a problem for us, considering what an... influential sky knight you are, right?"

He flushed slightly as she began caressing him. "Of course they won't be a problem... They're not even really on the council. They'd believe me over a group of children any day."

"Good..." She smiled at him, her gaze meeting his.

After a few moments silence he spoke again. "We still haven't decided on what to do..."

"What are the chances that they would just let me get off scott-free and return me to Cyclonia?"

"Well..." He considered the amount of influence he held over the tribunals on Terra Rex. Even then, they wouldn't let a Cyclonian go back, especially considering the Phoenix Crystal incident that had somewhat tarnished his reputation... "Ravess... Would you be willing to... Be willing to recant your allegiance to Cyclonia?"

She tilted her head to the side, regarding him. "You're asking me to change my allegiance from Cyclonia to the sky knights?"

"Well... I... uh... Yes. I mean, Cyclonia is evil- uh not saying that you are, but... If you were to renounce Cyclonia, you would be granted amnesty..."

"Wait, that's all I would have to do? Just say I don't like Cyclonia anymore, and they'd just let me off?"

Harrier blinked, then nodded. "Yes... It is written in the Code that a sky knight must offer forgiveness to his enemies, and that an enemy doesn't have to remain an enemy for life... Of course, there's a certain speech you would have to say, but that would be provided for you... Oh, and... The rest of the Atmos does no follow the Code, so technically... You'd only be safe of Terra Rex."

"So basically I'd have Cyclonia and the rest of the Atmos after me."

"Potentially, but Terra Rex would protect you- I'd make sure of that."

Ravess stared at him for a few moments, ruminating the situation over in her mind. Then she spoke. "I'll do it."


	15. Chapter 15

**Clouds of Ash: Chapter 15**

"I don't like this," Aerrow declared, leaning back against the wall, watching Stork change course. "Harrier's acting awfully strange..."

"Mind worms," Stork informed them. "He must have gotten them from the Wastelands- it's where they breed... Ravess probably has them too."

Piper shot the pilot a look before returning her gaze to the sky knight. "Strange in what way? He seems as disrespecting to us as ever."

"You know that he's gotten better about that," Aerrow countered. "And it's not his attitude toward us that's strange. It's his attitude toward Ravess... Shouldn't he be flaunting his superiority over her any chance he gets? You'd think that he would..."

"Well maybe he did enough of that when they were stuck in the Wastelands together," she pointed out.

"I suppose... But, I was thinking... The fact that she's pregnant... You don't suppose..."

"Aerrow! That's ridiculous! This is _Harrier_ we're talking about. His Code wouldn't allow it!"

"Do you know that for a fact?" he asked mildly.

"You know how crazily specific that thing is. No way they would leave something like that out... Besides, don't you think that Ravess would have better taste than that?" She asked.

He laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I don't know what I was thinking... It is Harrier after all." With that he gave a satisfied nod as Terra Rex came into view. "Get them on radio. Tell them that we're bringing their sky knight home."

* * *

"Harrier, we're there, dude."

Harrier turned from Ravess, surprised to see Finn standing there. He blinked, then smiled. "Splendid... So I assume we'll be escorting Miss Ravess to the tribunal then?"

"Yeah, they want you to do it yourself. They're making a big deal about your return... Might want to shine your armor or whatever."

"Surely there isn't time for that."

"Yeah, there is dude. They're making us sit up here until they're ready."

Harrier blinked. "Alright then..." He sighed as Finn left the room. "I suppose I should have expected this..."

"What? Is this going to be a problem?" Ravess demanded.

"No, of course not," he assured her quickly. "The Code is still the Code... I would have just preferred if the entire terra didn't know of my actions..."

She couldn't help but notice the flash of doubt flash across his face. But what is it that he was doubting? That he could get her out of punishment? Or whether he should? "Having second thoughts?"

He looked startled. "I, uh... No, of course not." He couldn't possibly back out now... Their eyes met, and he almost found himself lost in the pools of molten gold.

She held his gaze for a few more seconds before smiling and leaning toward him. "I'm glad to hear that. So this will all be over soon, right?"

Harrier nodded, blushing slightly. "Uh-huh..."

"Promise?"

"I give you my word..." Well, now he was honor bound. There was no turning back now.

A few hours later, the Condor was allowed to land in the landing strip, which was filled to the brim with screaming fans. The rest of the Rex Guardians were standing below, looking reserved, but excitement shining in their eyes. They had thought their sky knight to be dead, but he was alive!

Aerrow approached Harrier, a pair of handcuffs in his hands. "Here, put these on her so she doesn't escape..."

The Rex Guardian scoffed. "She wouldn't dare attempt to escape from me." Opening the cell, he gently brought her arms behind her back and began to escort her out into the landing strip. The crowd went wild and cheered, causing him to raise a hand and wave. Everyone seemed so glad to have him back... He couldn't help but grin.

"Well isn't somebody just Mr. Popularity," Ravess teased.

"Well I am their sky knight..."

"Sir Harrier!" He was barely able to hear his name being called over the din of the crowd, but he turned his head toward the sound. "You bring us a Cyclonian prisoner?"

He nodded. "Yes... We must discuss this... Somewhere a little less... open. After you take care of our guests of course."

The old man nodded and clapped his hands, causing a pair of squires to rush up to escort the Storm Hawks. Harrier followed after the old man, his squadron falling into step behind him. They soon arrived at the tribunal, where the judges had already gathered.

"We are set to hold your trial, Ravess of Cyclonia."

"Wait," Harrier protested.

"What is it?" one of the judges asked.

"She wishes to renounce Cyclonia."

His statement hung in the air, causing the judges to all look at each other tensely.

"Sir Harrier, we cannot simply-"

The Sky Knight raised his hand, cutting him off. "Is it not written in the Edict of Kael that if an enemy is willing to renounce their cause, then they shall remain an enemy no longer? That Sky Knights should practice forgiveness?"

"Well... Yes... But the rest of Atmos doesn't follow the Code of Sky Knights. We can't just-"

"She will be granted amnesty on Terra Rex," Harrier interrupted. "For that is what is written in the Code."

The judges all looked at each other before nodding grudgingly.

The high judge spoke. "As it is written, so shall it be. Ravess of Cyclonia is hereby pardoned, and granted amnesty... Only on Terra Rex, mind you."

Ravess smirked before giving them a nod. "Thank you."

"Be warned, that if you ever leave Rex, you will be arrested by the Sky Knights of Atmos."

"I know... I guess that means I shouldn't be leaving anytime soon." Turning, she began walking out of the room. She stopped to look back at Harrier. "Why don't you show me around?"

"Of course..." He followed after her, causing the others in the room to all give each other looks of confusion. What had gotten into their Sky Knight?"

**A/N Sorry this took so long... I've had major writer's block.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Clouds of Ash: Chapter 16**

**Epilogue**

**

* * *

**

_Nine months later..._

Harrier's jaw was set as he took off after his squadron, hand reaching for his energy blade. Troublesome Cyclonians... Why must they attack _now _of all times?

"Sir Harrier?" his squadronmate looked back at him, surprise clear in her eyes. "But your wife-"

"I know," he replied. "But the safety of the terra must come before any personal desires... Is that not written in the Code?"

That was enough for his squadronmate, who turned back, green eyes narrowed to face this incoming foe.

Much had happened in the passing months. The first was his hastily arranged marriage of Ravess. He could still remember that day as if it were yesterday.

_"Let me guess..." Ravess's eyes were narrowed slightly. "You want me to marry you to cover up for the fact that you got me pregnant."_

_"What...? I had suggested nothing of the sort!" he had protested. "I haven't even said a word to you."_

_"You didn't need to. Something's been bothering you and your feelings are pretty much written all over your face... But whatever... I don't have any objections. It's not like I'm about to meet anyone else to marry on this terra."_

_"Oh..." He looked more shocked than anything. "I, ah, very well then... If you don't have any objections..."_

So they were married the next week, a rushed affair that the sky knight was not entirely comfortable with. Of course, the events did not end there. The marriage between a sky knight and ex-Cyclonian was not easily looked over. Even on Terra Rex, where they revered their sky knight far more than the other terras, there were raised eyebrows and whispered rumors.

The Sky Council was not pleased. They demanded for Ravess to be handed over and for Harrier's name to be stricken from the books as a sky knight. Standing behind their sky knight, as it was written in the Code that they should, Terra Rex immediately pulled their delegates support to the Sky Council. A great loss, considering how much funding they had been receiving from Rex, who had been among the richer terras that offered what they had to them.

Soon after, the Cyclonian raids on Terra Rex began to increase, as they no doubt saw them as weak without the Sky Council's backing. So far, they had managed to turn them all back, but this one looked to be the largest they had faced by far.

"I really wouldn't mind some back up right now," another one of his squadron muttered. He looked back at Harrier, suddenly looking guilty at his words. "I mean..."

"I know what you meant," he replied. "I wouldn't have minded back up either... If I had known the consequences of my actions, I would not have-"

"If you cannot follow your heart, then perhaps you aren't fighting for what's right... Isn't that what your great great great grandfather wrote in the Code?" She looked back at him, a serious expression on her face. "I might not understand why you fell for a Cyclonian, but... Sir Lysander knew what he was talking about, right?"

"Sometimes I wonder," Harrier muttered, shaking his head. He turned his attention to the mass of Cyclonians ahead. They were outnumbered... badly. "Rex Guardians... Fight with honor!" He raised his blade in the air, blue eyes narrowing in determination. No matter how many there were, he would not fail! He could not fail! And yet... As he saw the vast numbers of Cyclonians approaching, he could not help but feel a bit of dread.

They were being lead by a man whose face was hidden away in a cloak. He gestured with his mace, sending his Talons after them. After that move, Harrier lost sight of him, completely lost in the chaos. He was lost, lost in the swarm of skimmers, only aware of the flashes of light his energy blade caused as it clashed with those of the Cyclonians.

They were being overrun. The sky was a sea of crimson as the glow of the blades seemed to meld together.

"No," Harrier breathed. "No!"

The sound of an air horn filled the air, drawing his attention from the battle for a brief instant.

"Hey, need a hand?"

He could recognize that cocky voice anywhere. "Aerrow? You're going to help _me_?"

"Well we're fighting the same enemy, aren't we?" The young sky knight smirked slightly. "Although I really do have to question your taste in women... Or maybe her taste in men." His blue blades slashed down, sending a Cyclonian spiraling away. "I'll handle things up here... It looks like you have trouble down there..."

Harrier looked down, realizing that the cloaked man had landed. He gave Aerrow a nod of respect before diving down, pulling to a stop in front of the man. He held the energy blade out in front of him, eyes narrowing in determination. "State your intentions! I am giving you this one chance to surrender!"

"Intentions?" The man shifted a bit awkwardly before removing his hood, eyes narrowing. "My intentions are to see my new niece or nephew." Snipe scowled at him. "Now get out of my way before I smush you!"

He just blinked, shocked. "Ah... I cannot allow you to pass... Unless you would be so kind as to withdraw your Talons?"

"Fine..." He looked annoyed, but waved his mace in the air. "They were just a distraction anyway so I could sneak in." Seeing his signal, the Talons turned tail and began flying away, much to the confusion of the surrounding defenders. "Now take me to her."

Harrier was a bit hesitant, but could he really deny this man's right to see his sister? He lead him through the halls, dreading it every step in the way. With the way things were going, he might as well invite the whole of Cyclonia to his chambers! He shook his head before opening the door leading to where Ravess was situation.

"Ravess...?" He questioned, stepping inside.

"It took you long enough," Ravess complained. She had a maroon bundle in her arms, which she was looking down at fondly. "You missed the whole thing... Of course, it was mostly just me screaming and yelling, something you've seen enough of, I'm sure..."

Harrier smiled slightly. "I apologize... I had run into trouble with a visitor of yours...."

Snipe stepped into the room behind him, glancing around somewhat suspiciously. "Master Cyclonis is pissed at you by the way."

"Snipe?" She stared at him for a few moments, disbelievingly. "You tell me that Cyclonis is angered by my actions, yet you still come to visit me?"

"I'm not afraid of a little girl." A lie of course, but it would be unmanly to admit otherwise. "Besides, your my sister and... Mom wants me to take pictures." He retrieved a camera crystal from his pocket. "So let's see the puny thing..."

"Let Harrier see first... He is the father after all..."

That made Snipe frown, glaring over at the sky knight, clearly displeased by this fact. "Yeah, fine," he grumbled, backing away.

Harrier stepped forward, taking the baby in his arms. He made a quick check before nodding; it was a girl. The baby opened its big blue eyes and fixed a stare at him. She had little tufts of familiar looking pink hair, making him smile. Then, the baby started crying, making his frown in alarm. "I uh... Ah..."

Snipe laughed. "Ha! I'd cry too if I realized he was my father!"

Ravess glared at him before reaching over to her husband, who quickly deposited it in her arms. She seemed to be calmer with her mother, and she quieted down, falling back to sleep.

"What shall we named her?" he asked, smiling down at his new daughter fondly.

Ravess tilted her head for a moment in thought before smiling. "Eris."

"Yes... I like that," he replied with a smiled. He leaned down, kissing his wife. "I like that a lot..."

Snipe crossed his arms. "Can I just take my picture and leave now?" He wasn't one for mushy reunions, or anything mushy for that matter.

"Not staying for lunch, brother?"

He blinked, then nodded. "Well... Maybe I'll stay for that," he amended. "You got sandwiches here, right?"

"As many as you can eat..."

"Heh, really? I'm beginning to see why you moved here, Ravess..." He held up the camera crystal. "Now say cheese. No, not you, Sky Knight. Mother couldn't care less about you..."

After Snipe had eaten his many sandwiches, he left, leaving Harrier and Ravess to themselves.

"Well," she said.

"Yes... Well..."

"Bet you didn't expect this to happen when you went to battle that day..."

"Not in the least," he admitted, smiling at her.

"Life's just full of surprises, isn't it?" She laughed slightly.

"Yes... But I think I like it better this way... It keeps things interesting..." Harrier sat on the edge of the bed, putting his arm around her and staring at Eris, their wonderful new baby girl.

**End.**

**A/N Yeah... Uh... This took a long time to churn out.... Sorry about that...  
**


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